Unity
by MaggslovesPerry
Summary: Sisterhood grows harder as they grow older. Skye and Jane. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

_"Stop crying." Skye said, wiping Jane's tears away with a flat thumb. "It's going to be okay. You know that; I know that and everyone else doesn't matter." _

_J: _

I guess I imagined high school to be just like the years before. But in fact, the hellish recesses of school just deepen over time.

Perhaps it's the fact that I still find English enjoyable, that I like school and care about Shakespeare and all of the others that makes them groan. Nerd. The ultimately easy label.

I can hear their words.

"That Jane Penderwick… she_ likes_ Mr. Donatello."

"That Jane Penderwick, she's a wacko; reads fucking _Shakespeare_ in her free time."

Or at least that's what it was in the beginning.

The first day of school I woke up with my heart bouncing at the back of my throat, a fucking bowling ball attached like a weight to my left shoulder. Skye was already up, of course, doing sit ups. She was always working out when I got up. She was training to be a starter for Varsity. Not that anyone but she had any doubt that she would make it. Skye made all of the other girls look like armadillos with her ferocity. She was a fucking beast sometimes, and it was all I could do to love her for it.

I rolled out of bed immediately and swept to the bathroom stepping into the shower as fast as I could, and out only a minute later, I swept my hair up into a braid, trying to keep it out of my face..

How to avoid stereotyping: Dress the opposite of what people think you should. But don't be a try-hard.

So I slipped into a pair of normal colored jeans, thinking that for once, extravagance is not the right way to present yourself. And a plain white t-shirt with a blue cardigan over it. It was a please-don't-notice-me outfit. Just perfect.

By the time I was finished, Skye was waltzing through our room in a white towel, having rinsed the sweat off her body. She pulled a black t-shirt over her towel and slipped it down. Another thing about my older sister: you could look at her and know she was cool.

After she had slipped into her jeans, she turned to look at me.

"You nervous?"

I nodded, feeling as though she had swallowed something uncomfortably big. She snorted. "You'll do fine. Look at you, you're a fucking English protégée."

"Skye." I flopped down on her bed. "You know that's not what they want in their little squads."

"Exactly. Fuck the squads Jane. You're too cool for the squads. Start your own." She slowly pushed me over onto my bed and straightened the sheet.

She pulled my hair up into a ponytail, and listened only slightly as I rambled on and on about this and that- her heart spilling in a bumpy pattern.

It was a moment before she realized I had gone silent.

"You stopped talking."

"God Skye, what if I puke?"

"You won't puke." She smiled sympathetically. "You idiot, you do realize that it's 87% the same people?" She frowned. "Or at least it was for my class. How many did you have last year?"

"It doesn't matter." I buried my face in my hands.

"It does. I'm trying to prove a point here."

"And I'm trying to bask in my unmistakable steroid-filled butterflies." I muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." I sighed.

"Oh. Well, I promise you, if any of them are rude, I'll torch their pubes okay?"

"Okay."

"Jane, you don't believe me. I'm not afraid of going to jail just as long as you promise to pick Jeffrey up and bail me out okay?"

"Okay." I said, smiling slightly. "I promise."

"You promise what?"

"To bail you out of jail when you torch the crowned prom queen's pubes." I said in a monotone. "But Skye—"

"Stop jabbering." She insisted, pulling her backpack over her shoulders. "You'll be even more fine if you don't start quoting Dickinson in the cafeteria. Come on."


	2. Chapter 2

Hello! So Chapter Two... I will probably post in week-like intervals and/or a little longer if I'm pressed._ Enjoy!_

Readwriteedit: Thank you dear! I definitely agree. I needed a little more sisterhood in my life.

_"Skye?" _

_"What." _

_"Don't you think we should go to sleep?" _

_"Not particularly."_

_"Me neither."_

S:

You know how sometimes you worry more than you think is possible about someone else? I mean, Jane is just so fucking clueless when it comes to the pecking order. Middle School is one thing; and then high school comes along and the bus ride turns into a tank. I had vowed to myself and Jeffrey countless times that I would protect Jane as best I could against the terrors that invaded ninth-graders' privacy.

I strained to remember the long conversation I'd had with Jeffrey the night before. Missing him was too often an ache in my gut.

"Hello?" He'd answered as I slipped out onto the roof so that Jane couldn't hear me.

"Hey. Jeffrey what am I to do about her?"

"Relax?"

I picked up a stone from the drainage pipe and threw it as far as I could. It sailed over Tommy and Nick's roof and off into the twilight.

"Dammit Jeffrey. What if I can't?"

"Skye, you're the most resourceful person I know. And I'm not going away. Together I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out."

"I don't know. Promise you'll have a guest room ready for her if I need to get her out of here while I go and massacre everyone in her class."

"Skye." I could picture him sighing. "Did you ever think that perhaps you're overreacting?"

"What?"

"No, no. This is good. Large displays of emotion from Skye Penderwick are a rarity. Please keep on."

"I can't even deal with you right now." I slumped down onto the roof. "Besides, this isn't about me. It's about Jane."

"Jane has spirit too. Maybe she'll retreat inside of her head until she finds her people and then it'll be a walk in the park."

"Right."

"But it's not just about Jane right now. Also about me."

"You?" I dug my fingers back into the drainage pipe along the back of the roof.

"Yes. And girls. I thought I could tell you because I'm going to pieces over this girl."

My fingers curled around a small round stone and I raised them. "Oh? Does she go to your school?"

"Violin player. Beautiful."

I balled the stone in my fist. "That's great! Are you going to ask her out or something?"

"That's just the thing. I already have. She should be here soon."

I chucked the stone over the hedge in the opposite direction. A loud thud echoed from a fence two doors down.

"That's exciting Jeffrey! What's the plan?"

"Just a movie. Should I wear a grey or blue shirt?"

I frowned. "If she likes you she won't care. I'd better go. Jane will be coming up really soon. And I have to make sure she doesn't start talking about cesspits or something."

"Cesspits?"

"I don't know. She talks in her sleep."

I could hear his smile. "Okay. Goodnight Skye."

"Goodnight."

I sat on the bus with his words running through my head, making sure that he was assuring me about Jane. About Jane, who was shaking a little on the seat next to me.

I pushed down slightly on her knee and she shot me a look.

Well, I thought, I'll get points for trying.

As soon as fifth period was over, Joanne and I hurried to the bathroom where we knew Hanna would be smoking or something of the sort. They conversed quietly in the stall next to me as I pulled out my phone and texted Jeffrey.

_Well, Jane didn't start chanting in Swahili on the bus. So far so good. _

I listened for a moment to Hanna's whispers from the next door stall and then hear a ding from my phone. Eleven thirty one. Just on time. I smiled.

_She knows Swahili? _

I smiled.

_Rosetta Stone. She says that it's her calling- the clicks are a much more accurate form of what the shuddering of the heart sounds like. _

I stood up, waiting for the bell to ring to signify the beginning of lunch.

_That's our Jane. _

I nodded, wishing that he could be there.

_So how did date w/ Viola girl go?_

Joanne knocked on the door. "Skye?"

"What?" I pushed it open.

"Are you talking to your guy?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

"No." I said grouchily. A; he's my guy, yes. But not romantic and B: He's the Viola girl's if that's what you're thinking of.

She pouted.

_Violin. And good! She liked my grey shirt. Said it was attractive. Kissed me in the back of the movie theater. _

"Are you going to eat lunch?" Hanna asked from behind, peering at my phone from behind.

I held it high above my head so she couldn't see. "Why?"

"Because the line will be long."

"Okay." I said, stowing it in my back pocket. "I'm coming."

And I let her lead me out of the bathroom without a backwards glance.

The next week slid by without much complaint from Jane, but I could see her being worn down by the stress of being there. On Saturday I dragged myself out of bed in time for Jeffrey's call and slipped into the bathroom, dialing his number as quietly as I could.

"Hello?" His voice made the room warm and I curled my toes against the carpet, perched on the edge of the bathtub.

"Hi." I must've had relief in my voice because I could hear him exhale.

"You okay?" There was the noise of someone talking behind him and he muttered something.

"Yeah. Who's there?"

"Gracie. Violin girl from the movie theater?"

"Oh. Did she spend the night?"

"Yeah things aren't so good with her parents right now, so I offered."

"Aren't you both supposed to be in dorms?"

"She's a day student. And only freshman are required to be in dorms. I convinced Mother to get me a flat about a block from the main building."

"Oh." I felt like I was grappling for a topic. Everything was different for him. "Great news! My dad said that maybe Thanksgiving weekend I could come and visit!"

I could hear him smile. "That's awesome, listen Skye, I have to make Gracie breakfast okay? Can I call you back at two twenty? She said she has to go to afternoon class then."

"Yeah sure." I smiled again, and turned on the shower, I needed a burning hot shower to rinse the week off of my body.

"I'm sorry Skye."

"Nothing to be sorry for." I told him briskly, disentangling my pants from my foot and testing the water. "Have a good morning, okay?"

"You too. Talk to you at two twenty."

Standing and letting the waves of water stream over my head, I felt a rush of anger that my first week of school had been entirely Jeffrey-less. He wasn't there for ranting or long winded talks about numbers and musical notes. God, sometimes I wondered what that boy was good for if he was always disappearing with some girl who played the violin.

Struck with a sudden image of him, I turned to the back wall so that there was no way anyone could see me smiling for no reason.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello All! Sorry I'm a little late with this one... I've had a lot on my mind recently and tried to get as much sleep as I possibly could! But... Better Nate than Lever right? ;)

-MaggslovesPerry (ENJOY)

J:

_ "Hello?" Skye stood at the entrance of their room. She had been out way too late: an away game and then an after party. _

_ There was a shuffling noise and Skye leaned over to turn her desk lamp on. _

_ Jane was sitting in a pile of papers. "My pride, Skye." She announced with a wobbling chin. "Is broken." _

_ Skye leaned forward and picked up the top page of the pile. "Dear Jane," She read. "It is of the utmost importance that you understand this isn't a break-up... Well not quite."_

_ Skye sat down next to her sister. _

_ "It was a break-up, wasn't it?" She said. _

_ Jane nodded, tears streaming down her small cheeks. Skye reached out and pulled her younger sister's waist closer onto her own and let Jane lean down onto her lap. She rubbed circles onto Jane's back and whispered a mantra of encouragements until Jane had finally fallen asleep. _

The next morning Skye was standing over me, brandishing a handful of notes from…

"Your latest novel!" Skye shouted. "Is all over my side of the room."

I sat up. "I'm sorry I'll—"

"Pick it up right now? Thanks for that Jane." She was still frowning.

I groaned. "Fine, fine. Go along. "

She stayed and watched me gather up the four pieces of paper that had flown across the line and shove them back up on the shelf.

"Thank you." She said daintily. "Don't do it again, if you please."

I smiled down and turned the radio on. My legs curled up to my chest, I pulled the nearest page toward me. Skye snorted and closed the door behind her.

When she returned, shaking her wet hair away from her face, she smiled over at me.

"Still writing?"

"Forever." I shoved the page aside and jumped across the gap between our beds. Sitting on her bed, I watched her pull jeans on.

"I'm going to Quigley woods." She told me. "Interested?"

I looked at her. "Do I have to put pants on?"

A moment later we were slipping out the back door and jumping the hedges out onto the cul-de-sac. Skye ran ahead but stopped when she reached the woods to wait for me.

"Let's go." She said. "I'm sure the stream is nice enough this morning for peace offerings."

Along the way we both filled our pockets with acorns and little stones until, laughing, we rubbed our hands and arms and walked out onto the bridge. I went first, dropping each little treasure into the river and naming each person who loved me.

The day was just beginning; browns and greens popping out in the sunlight and my hands were warming up again.

Iantha.

Skye was waiting, leaning back against the railing next to me, her eyes on the birds rushing about above us.

Daddy.

I could see the sun through an overhanging of leaves. The stream below was clear and rushing, the noise pounding along through the peaceful forest.

Ben.

I watched a pebble hit the water and skip off rocks as it flew downstream.

Batty.

Skye made a tutting noise. I always took too long.

Rosalind.

My red hands found the last thing I had brought; I curled my fingers.

Jeffrey.

The last acorn hit the water and disappeared, bobbing along under the bridge.

Skye.


	4. Chapter 4

Eeek Eeek I'm late I'm late. :D

S:

_To: Wordsmith22 _

_From: _

_Re: Greetings from Boston!_

_Dear Jane, _

_I think it's actually colder here in Boston. Jeffrey wore a scarf today when we went walking through the gardens. He misses you a ton: said so himself. Good luck on the paper for Mrs. Bisonetti- that's due today isn't it? I'll be bringing you back lots of gifts. I tried to bring you back this delicious pastry we had yesterday, but Jeffrey said that it would get gross. I guess it would've, but I still think you would've liked the strawberry jam… Send my best to the rest of the family and don't miss me too much!_

_-Skye_

_P.S. I enclosed a picture of me sitting on a metal duck. Jeffrey thought you would particularly enjoy it. He said the place was full of romanticism and you should write a love confession based on this area. I think he is totally full of shit, but if you want to... Here's the picture. _

Jeffrey called me at seven Sunday night and Jane handed the phone out onto the roof because I had officially decided that it was a black hole for thinking. I had tried to explain it minutes before.

"An opposite side black hole though." I told her, leaning on the windowsill. "Somewhere, in a lab or a hotspot for intelligence, a black hole leads all thought to the cusp of the roof."

"Maybe during the northern lights you could see it floating just outside the window."

"No." I told her dismissively. "Something as great and powerful as a black hole wouldn't be affected by something as magical as the northern lights. If it was a very small black hole, perhaps it could be affected by tides. Changes in pressure. Hmm, but it would have to be in a particular cycle. Perhaps a blue moon. Only in November…"

She smiled over at me, rustling through pages stacked on her desk. "You know Skye?" I widened my eyes. "In the right light, you believe in magic. A different kind of magic, but magic all the same."

"Careful there Jane," I grinned, swinging my legs around out onto the roof. "We might secretly be the same person."

"Psh.." She grabbed a stack to the right and shifted it over a little. "I could never understand Algebra even if I wanted to; a different theory must be presented if you wish to impress me."

I hopped off onto the roof and was leaning against the wall when she handed the phone out to me.

"Hello?"

"Skye Penderwick."

"What's wrong?"

"Why does something have to be wrong, why could everything be perfectly aligned?"

"Is that a trick question?" I slid the window shut to block out all other noise; Jane had started playing more of her sappy music and it was messing with my brain waves. If he was upset, he deserved to converse without a mantra based off of Jane's abominable taste in music.

"Yes. And no. I mean, perhaps I'm just asking too much of the universe. I want something real, you know Skye?"

"I'm not sure if this will be any consolation, but perhaps you're searching for the wrong thing."

"What, real isn't a worthy goal?"

I sighed. "What is real, Jeffrey? How can you be certain if something is real? Have you heard of the allegory of Plato's cave?"

"Plato was a Greek philosopher right?"

"Yes. Look it up Jeffrey. We can't ever be sure if anything is real."

"It doesn't matter."

"Please explain."

"I want to live an expressive life. If all I live is an illusion, then I don't care. I lived through my memories and I will remember what I believed was reality. If it wasn't real, oh well, but that doesn't change what happened."

"I disagree."

"Of course you do."

I could still hear Jane's music beating; a plane of glass away.

"It does change things. I can't explain why, but it does."

There was a pause.

"So would you prefer to live life as if it was real or if it was an illusion?"

"I haven't thought about it." I admitted.

"I have all the time in the world."

"You don't. But I only need a moment."

And it did only take a moment. "I suppose it would be easier if it all was an illusion, if I could just mess up my life and it wouldn't really matter because life ends, doesn't it? But I have to admit, the human instinct is to want something real."

"Hah." He sighed. "So I'm not so crazy for wanting a relationship with the opposite sex that doesn't end in lies and heartbreak?"

"No, you're human. I'd advise you to step beyond your urges and perhaps, take a break for a while. Jeffrey. Stop getting hurt over and over and over again." My voice sounded shrill even to me. "Not that I'm complaining though," I added slyly. "You're much more thoughtful when you're in pain."

"I'm honored that you might think so." He said sarcastically. "So is Jane listening in on our thoughts?"

"No, I'm on my roof." So I explained my theory about the black hole connection, and he listened in complete silence until I was finished- as he always did.

"That sounds like quite the conspiracy theory." I could hear his smile curving the words.

"Oh shut up, you're just jealous you didn't think of it first."

"That must be it!" He exclaimed. If he were there, I would've slapped him.

"But even after my extremely long-winded story, you haven't told me where you are."

"Nothing nearly as interesting as your special space roof, but I am in fact on the couch. And it's plaid. And there's a bit of wind that makes the curtains shake."

"Fascinating." I grinned. If he were there, he would've slapped me.

"I know, I do tell great stories. But, I have a test tomorrow, so…"

"Right. You have to do that sleeping thing."

"Sadly."

"Do it well then."

"I shall try, mostly because if I don't, I am absolutely screwed."

I realized that I liked how the curse words sounded like candies on his tongue. "Tuesday night?"

"Always."

"What a positively idiotic thing to say. What if I died tomorrow…"

"It's too late for these kinds of conversations."

"Right. Goodnight."

"Skye?"

"What?"

"You realize you mean more than Gracie ever did, right?"

"Right. If I had any romantic others they wouldn't add up to you. Obviously."

"Goodnight."

The phone was empty. I realized my hands were almost numb and slid the window back open, scooting inside.

Jane looked up, waist deep in handwritten notes.

"Homework?" I asked over the music.

"Free writing." She sighed happily. Lost.

I trudged over and stood the phone back up on it's connector.

"So how is Jeffrey?" She turned on her stool conspiratorially.

"Fine." I replied, slumping down on my bed. "As he always is."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"You're an idiot if you still think that will get me, Jane." I grumbled, pulling out a book. "And get some goddamn headphones, you're killing my brain cells."

"Shut up, it's Mister Wives." She said dreamily, reaching for the lime green headphones stacked on top of the papers. As soon as she picked them up, the entire pile slid over onto my side. I rolled my eyes and turned over, settling into black holes again.


	5. Chapter 5

Yes! Not late this week! Enjoy.

J:

_Jane spun around in a circle, her arms out; face skyward. Only Skye was close enough to see the tears streaming down her face. _

_Skye sat on the very edge of Jane's range and watched as her sister spun around and around, trying as hard as she might to get herself away from everything. _

_ "__I. AM. SO. DONE." Jane screamed, still whirling, whirling. _

_Skye felt that. "ME TOO!" She shouted over her sister. _

_Jane stopped and frowned at her sister. "Really?" _

_Skye nodded. Extended a hand. _

_They walked away. _

**Skyeblue is online**

**JanePen:** Skye.

**Skyeblue:** JANE ARE YOU CONCENTRATING ON ALGEBRA?

**JanePen:** Maybe I was about to ask you a question.

**Skyeblue:** Really?

**JanePen:** No. I hate this.

**Skyeblue:** That was almost inspirational. Try again.

**JanePen:** I just wanted to say I think I want to go to Quigley woods before we go home.

**Skyeblue:** Rough day?

**JanePen**: yeah. Christmas dance prep you know?

**Skyeblue:** I went with Joanne last year, maybe you could go stag?

**JanePen:** Sure I'll just dig into my reservoir of best friends…

**Skyeblue:** That sounds excellent.

**JanePen:** Sarcasm.

**Skyeblue:** Start with Algebra. I'll think about the x-mas dance.

**JanePen:** What's the square root of 144?

**Skyeblue:** That's cheating.

**JanePen has logged off**

**Skyeblue:** 12


	6. Chapter 6

And... I'm late again. But still going

_Skye was seven when she fell down the stairs. Jane was in the kitchen. _

_"__Skye?" _

_Skye made a noise of pain. Jane came out, wiping her fingers on her shirt. "Skye?" Her little voice was tight. She shrieked when she saw her sister lying at the bottom of the stairs. _

_ "__Are you okay?" She knelt next to Skye. _

_ "__You need a doctor." She said breathlessly. "Or perhaps just someone to take care of you. Would you like me to take care of you Skye?" _

As soon as Jane and I got back from Quigley woods, I retreated into the bathroom to Jeffrey.

"Jeffrey. I have a problem."

"I am aware of that."

I turned to face the mirror, then away again. "It's about Jane."

"How is our girl doing?"

"She had a rough day." I said. Frowning.

"And you?" His voice sounded stretched.

"I'm okay. I have a theory though. And you can help me."

"I can?"

I smiled. "Yes."

"Right. The sacrifices I make Skye…"

"It's not a sacrifice, I promise."

I looked out the window; Ben and Batty were chasing Hound around. The ground had a dusting of snow today. The creek would be frozen soon.

I could hear him sigh. "What do you want me to do?"

"Come visit." I said, and then, before he could say anything: "At the time of our Christmas dance."

"And go to your Christmas dance." He said. He didn't understand.

"Yes."

"With?"

"Not me." I said, realizing what he was thinking. I laughed. "With Jane. As a friend. So she doesn't have to deal with people at our school."

"Oh." He said. There was a small pause. "I'm in. What's the date?"


	7. Chapter 7

_Jane's legs were folded into pretzel-like shapes, her eyes cast downward. Skye settled next to her with good grace and watched her sister watching the creek. _

"_It's not fair." Jane's vision was thick with dots of tear-stained light. _

"_It's not." _

_Skye kicked her sister's leg. "But we have to go anyway." _

"_I know." Jane wiped at her cheek. "I know." _

Jeffrey called and I retreated away. Jane was in a happy place- drawing with magic markers in the middle of the carpet. God she was a train wreck. She looked up as I left. Smiled.

"Going out?"

"Miss you." I said, exasperated, my hand sweaty on the back of the phone. I hoped the thick sweatshirt could mask our voices. I blew her a sarcastic kiss and she caught it, her fingers thin with purple nails. I turned the light on on my way out.

"Hello?"

"Skye."

I exhaled on the way down the stairs; pulled on Jane's boots; stepped outside into the willowy air. Snow could be seen falling softly, but only in the silhouettes of light the windows made. "I'm here."

"I'm glad." God, I could practically see his eyebrows when he said it. "Were you not before?"

"It's far too early for this." I plodded through the white, pulling the sleeve of my sweatshirt down. "Only nine."

"This might come as a surprise to you- but for an honest worker like me- this is the hour of sleep. You know- piano, homework, snack, you, bed."

"I think you need to resort your priorities." Quigley woods was covered from head to toe in garlands of white. I smiled, kept on.

"Perhaps I'm saving the best for last."

"You're back in Boston, right?"

"Yeah." His voice caught on something. "I miss you."

"Thats preposterous." I shook my head, walked into the shadow of the first trees. The light here was dappled black and grey. Occasionally, a street light sent yellow onto Jane's boots. I shuffled.

"Almost."

"This sounds way too much like over-emotional-break-up-Jeffrey." I said, trying to clear my head. "Please. The night is quiet here."

"Really?"

"Yes, the trees are nice."

There was a pause. "Well you're no Jane."

I snorted. "That's very true. Wait, wait. I'll try."

I paused and leaned against a tree. My hand found the dark bark and I ran it lightly over, trying to be descriptive. "You know when someone wears a black shirt and the sunlight goes through it so much that it looks a bit like the sun?"

He made a noise of assent.

"That's what the bark looks like- only instead of gold, it's silver." I could do colors.

"You're in Quigley woods?"

"Yeah. And the light makes tessellations in the snow in front of me. I'm wearing Jane's boots."

I waited for the sarcastic reply.

"Sounds magical."

I grinned. "Yeah. It would be a nice walk any night."

"But-"

"God." I stood up again, brushed off my jeans, pulled up my sock. "I dunno."

"Well how about I tell you what I think."

I started walking again and smiled. "I'm sure you will anyway."

"I think that the city tonight is something like a monster. I can hear it breathing outside my window and I love curling up next to the beast. And even though any night right now would be great, because I'm sleepy and full and I can play some records and fall asleep hearing the noises of the world, it's even better. You know why?"

I blew on my hands. "Do tell."

"Because I know that, right now, there is also the perfect silence where you are. And my mind can know that, even though right now there's a siren and a homeless person and the 24 hour bodega across the street, there's also a woods somewhere where you're walking in rubber boots. I think, Skye, that because I called, all can be right in the world."

"That's quite the pronouncement."

"You're just jealous."

I smiled and turned around, headed back toward the house. "So?"

"Thursday?"

"Yep."

I waited for the line to close and turned again to the silence. The world faded out until the only things that mattered were the sounds of boots hitting snow and the thought of a Jeffrey with his phoenix heart safe and growing, lying on a mattress in Boston; miles and miles away.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N From Meee...

So hi. Sorry I haven't been updating like I'm supposed to. The truth is I've finished the story in my doc- and I dislike it greatly.

It's been coming onto me for a long time, but I've found that I despise plot, and this story clearly illustrates this passionate dispute. It is truly chaotic- without a beginning, middle or ending. It lacks rising or falling action and characters are developed and dropped whenever deemed necessary.

So I thought about it- and I decided to continue. It'll be chaotic- the fragmented explosion of sisterhood... I mean siblings are kind of the people you'll always have to deal with. Don't they always show up?

I guess it'll be more of a collection of one-shots through adolescence... We shall see, right? Oh- also be sure to leave a comment if you like/hate something or you spotted an obvious error!

-Maggs


	9. Chapter 9

Yayy! Enjoy. Sorry for such a long wait...

_Sometimes the world become a re-incarnation of all of your fears and that's the way it was some weekend days when Jane woke up before the sun had set and stayed all through the night with a blanket tucked around her feet and her brain so fuzzy that the characters seemed more real than her sleeping sister; just feet away. Skye would always wake in the early morning and set the journal aside. _

"_Come on." She would say. "The world won't wait forever." _

Around the back of the school the shadows hung like tapestries on the old bricks and the thick snow was dotted with footprints from those who would surely have damp sneakers by now. Skye rounded the corner with her light eyes focused on the flagpole, both hands holding the straps of her backpack in place.

"Jane." She called, breaking her gaze only once to glance at me. "Come on, Rosalind has to pick Batty up at four."

"Okay." I said. The shoulder of my bag bit.

"Afternoon." She said as we fell into step. "How was your day?"

_Shrug, Jane. Push down the bitter until it takes up residence in your stomach. It's better have acid there than watch it drip off your chin. _

I shrugged. My mind flickered to Bio and then away again. I clenched my gut.

"You?"

She grinned. "Mr. Martins was out sick, and the sub let us do whatever we wanted."

"So you talked to Jeffrey?"

"What? I did my trig and then-"

I waited. Paused for breath.

"Yes okay fine. Talked to Jeffrey."

I smiled. Inhaled. It didn't reach the well of my stomach.

"I knew it! How is he?"

"Good. He's learning a new piece on the piano. Supposedly after this his piano teacher is going to start playing gigs with him or something. He said she's lovely with deft fingers; quote unquote."

I smiled hard at the sidewalk. Eternally testing. Acting. If my writing career never worked out I'd go act. But first I had to get over this damn little obstacle. Skye looked at me.

"You sure you're okay? You seem strange."

"Yeah." I tried to meet her gaze but skittered down again. "I think I'm gonna head to Quigley Woods for a walk though. Will you relieve Rosalind? I'm sorry, it's kind of my job but-"

"It's fine." Skye looked at me. Earnest. "Be back for dinner?"

"Before." I fake-shivered in my sweater, trying to smile. "It's cold."

She nodded and started walking again. I watched the back of her snow boots touch the sidewalk and lift again as she walked away.

Quigley Woods was a friend to my feet as I walked through the comforting old twisty trees and through to my favorite place to go. The rock was there- split down the middle by some great travesty.

"See?" I said aloud. "In the grand scheme of things, a Bio Midterm doesn't matter that much at all."

But even as I said it, my cheeks; once just pale and cold, were streaming with soft tears. I slumped down to let it pass, sitting on my backpack and resting my feet together on the snow. My hair came down out of it's bun and fell around on my face as I sat.

"Watch the fair maiden as her sobs shake all the way to the center of the earth, where freedom and peace are the king and queen and midterms are jailed." I laughed through the hole in my stomach and pressed my cheek against the rough stone.

It took a long time for the storm to pass, and there the stone creatures emerged and held council, there the birds returned for the summer and turned away; realizing that the woods they'd left behind was a prisoner now.

"As am I." I murmured to the roots. "As am I."

"Talking to yourself?"

I jumped. Skye held in her laugh at the sight of my face. "Damn." She said quietly. "Those wretched males again?"

I shook my head. "Just-"

"Uhoh."

I turned to look questioningly at her. Her face was pale and close. Several years before, I had called her aura a mirage, something that raised a questioning eyebrow from both her and Daddy, but it was true- with a cover of hazy destruction that simmered with her drawn eyebrows and curled smirk, her face betrayed her quick wit the instant you saw her. That was the thing about Skye; whenever you looked at her you could see something burning in her face; some kind of fiery determination that I had always lacked.

She smiled as gently as she could. "You need one of those crazy hermit thingies, don't you?"

I started to smile; just on the edges. "The bridge?"

The creek that bordered the dangerous side of Quigley Woods fell over the sides of roots and meandered through boulder fields before it reached the small bridge that, worn down from years of footsteps and sleet, creaked slightly as it landed on each of the sagging shores. Trees hadn't shielded the very middle from the snow, but the tracks were only from our boots. Skye and I sat stretched out on the crest, our knees almost touching, our backs to the clapboard railing. I was studying the surface of the creek from above when Skye cleared her throat.

I looked over. She was peeling an orange, sitting casually with her face tilted up toward the sky. With a disdainful finger, she flicked a peel toward the current below. I watched the bright color dim as it was dragged underwater in its passage around one of the icy stones.

"Are we waiting for something?"

"I have a question." I waited.

"Do you think this is…" She paused. Another orange peel fell toward the water.

_Geronimo... _I stifled a smile.

"-diagnosably therapeutic?" She looked over at me, a smile starting to fill her figure. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you've always been-"

"Esoteric?"

"Selectively permeable."

I sighed. "You've lost me."

She grinned; quickly. "Jane… Selectively permeable. Like the cell membrane; it only lets smaller particles through. But if… say, there's hypotonic solution and too much water- it deflates."

I waited.

She looked up at the trees again. "You can deal with a lot of stuff-"

"Stuff?" I said.

"Yeah. Stuff. You know." She thought for a moment. "Like switching schools. Or- I don't know! You choose what you want and everything else turns away. Explain it however you want. And then so much comes and you burst. Or, actually- going with the case of hypotonic solutions in cells- you deflate."

"Ok."

"So this is us filling you back up with- with the right concentration of solute again. Scientifically impossible."

I nodded.

"But it works."

I watched the mirage of her face burn slightly. "I get it."

"Really?" The smirk was back. I hit her hard on the forearm and pulled my knees up to my chest.

"Well, no. Not the sciency stuff. But, the other part."

She bit her lip.

"The part that admits that I'm pretty cool. And this 'crazy hermit thingie' is pretty cool too."

"Yeah." Skye smiled down at her lap and picked up her orange again. Another peel spun into the creek.


End file.
